Senators Defy Bush, Ok Campaign Reform

May 24, 1991|Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON -- The Senate, acting in defiance of a threatened veto by President Bush, passed a Democratic campaign finance reform measure Thursday that would ban contributions to political action committees, limit election spending and provide candidates with some public financing.

The 56-42 vote was the culmination of nearly two weeks of hotly partisan floor debate between Democrats and Republicans over the shape of any congressional effort to restrict special interest financing of congressional campaigns.

But even though Senate Democrats were able to push their bill through, the vote brought Congress no closer to reforming the current campaign finance system. Not only has the president vowed to veto any measure that provides for public financing and spending limits, but House Democrats also disagree with the Senate approach.

``This bill has about as much chance of surviving as Saddam Hussein would have at an Army-Navy game,`` said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a leading opponent.

While both parties agree that the current system of campaign financing ought to be changed, Republicans are suspicious that the Democratic proposals are intended to eliminate their traditional advantage in fund-raising. House Democrats, meanwhile, oppose any measure that would eliminate PAC financing, which accounted for about half their finances in the last election.

Republicans charged that the spending limits were designed to keep the GOP in the minority in Congress for years to come. But Sen. David Boren, D-Okla., author of the Senate Democratic measure, insisted that they would instead help to narrow a 16-1 fund-raising advantage that Senate incumbents have over challengers.

-- SPENDING CEILINGS: Senate candidates would be subjected to state-by-state voluntary spending limits, based on the voting age population of each state, ranging from $1.8 million to $9.6 million for both the primary and general elections. Incentives in the general election would be offered for compliance.

-- PUBLIC FINANCING: Candidates who abide by the ceilings would get government vouchers equal to 20 percent of the general election lid, or $190,000 to $1.1 million, to buy radio and TV ads.

-- POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES: Labor, corporate, trade association and other interest group PACs would be banned from making contributions to federal candidates. So-called leadership PACs, maintained by congressional leaders and committee chairmen to donate to other members of their party, would be outlawed.

-- HONORARIA: Senators would be prohibited from augmenting their $101,900 salaries by accepting speaking fees or honoraria.